Magnetic spacer for stereotype plate shaving machines



M y 9 L. H. CONLEY 2,552,152

MAGNETIC SPACER FOR STEREOTYPE PLATE SHAVING MACHINES Filed March 12, 1946 Patented May 8, 1951 OFFICE MAGNETIC SPACER FOR STEREOTYPE PLATE SHAVING MACHINES Larry H. Conley, Lynbrook, N. Y.

Application March 12, 1946, Serial No. 653,871

8 Claims.

This invention relates in general to the art of shaving the internal ridges formed in casting stereotype plates to adapt them to fit the printing cylinders upon which theplates are mounted during printing operations.

The stereotype plate here contemplated comprises substantially one-half of a hollow cylinder and has cast on its outer surface the type or other printing surfaces, while on its inner surface the plate has circumferential ribs or ridges spaced longitudinally thereof that are formed during the casting operation and must be shaved so that they will properly fit and locate the plate upon the printing cylinder. The printing surface is in relief and along the edges thereof and in certain areas between the edges, the plate has surfaces below the plane of the printing surface which should form blank spaces on the printed reproduction.

During the operation of shaving said ribs or ridges, the plate is mounted in a shaving 'arch which has an inner surface to nicely contact with the outer or printing surface of the stereotype plate, and during the operation of shaving said ribs or ridges, the interior surface of the plate is subjected to heavy outward pressure by the rapidly rotating shaving knife, such that unless some means is provided to prevent it, said pressure so distorts the plate in those areas which form blank spaces that when the plate is removed from the shaving arch and placed on the printing press it does not fit the printing cylinder with the result tthat poor printing ensues and often the plate breaks causing damage and delays. This is especially true where such blank spaces are located along the edges of the plate.

Many attempts have been made to solve this problem, the most common one being to cast temporary lugs or posts in the blank space areas to resist the pressure of the shaving knife during the finishing operation and later cutting off these lugs or posts before the plate is put on the printing press Obviously such a procedure is arduous and time-consuming. I

Therefore, one object of my invention is to provide a novel and'improved spacer or wedge for use between such blank space areas of the printing plate and the inner Wall of the shaving arch to resist the pressure of the shaving knife and thereby prevent distortion of the plate during the finishing process.

Another object is to provide novel and improved means whereby the spacer can be magnetically mounted upon or attached to the shaving arch and thus held in proper relation to the arch and to the space between the plate and the shaving arch in which the spacer is intended to be located.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved spacer that shall include a magnetic holding element for holding the spacer in position on the shaving arch.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of the shaving arch of a shaving machine, a stereotype plate mounted therein, and a plurality of spacers embodying the invention mounted on the shaving arch in proper relation to the stereotype plate;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a composite perspective view of the parts of the magnetic spacer illustrated on an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of another form of magnetic spacer for use in the spaces between the ends of the stereotype plate and the shaving arch;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of a stereotype plate and the gauge for facilitating location of the spacers;

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 1, on a reduced scale, showing a modification of the invention;

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 'l---'! of Figure 6 and Figure 8 is a similar view showing a further modification of the invention.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the reference character A designates a shaving head or arch of a known type of machine for shaving stereotype plates, said arch including a cylindrically concave inner wall I against which abuts the outer printing surface of a stereotype plate 2 to be shaved, and end surfaces angularly disposed to the ends of said inner wall. As usual, the stereotype plate has circumferential ridges 3 on its inner surface, spaced longitudinally of the plate, that are formed during the casting operation and must be shaved to adapt them to properly fit a printing cylinder upon which the plate is mounted during a printing operation. As usual, the outer surface of the printing plate 2 has printing areas 3 in relief and other areas d in planes below the plane of the printing areas which form spaces in the printed reproduction. Some of these low areas t are spaced circumferentially of the plate along its marginal portions,and others extend entirely across the plate from one end to the other, as indicated at 5.

For shaving the plate, a rapidly rotating knife blade 6 is utilized and during its rotation exerts substantial outward pressure on the inner surface of the stereotype plate, said pressure being sufficient to break or distort the plate at the low areas 4 unless some means is provided to prevent it.

The invention provides spacers to be inserted between the low areas 4 and the inner surface I of the shaving arch to support or resist pressure upon the plate at said low areas during the shaving operation. As shown, each spacer includes a strip 1 of suitable material, such as metal, of a thickness corresponding to the distance between the surface of the low areas 4 and the inner surface of the shaving arch when the plate is mounted in said arch, and preferably each strip I is transversely arcuately curved on its outer and inner surfaces on radii corresponding to the radii of the inner surface of the shaving arch and the surface of the low areas 4, respectively. Connected to the spacer strip 1 is a magnet 8, preferably a permanent magnet, which is of such form and strength as to be capable of magnetically attaching the spacer to the shaving head and holding it in proper relation to the space in which the spacer is intended to be inserted. The magnet may be connected to the spacer strip in any suitable manner, but as shown, the strip has an integral arm 9 at right angles to the strip, to which the magnet 8 is riveted, as at H]. In this connection, it will be understood that the spacer strip 1 preferably will be of non-magnetic material so that it may be easily slipped, without magnetic hindrance, into the space between the printing plate and the inner surface of the shaving head.

Desirably, a box-like casing l2, preferably formed of a plastic composition, is provided to enclose the magnet 6 and the arm 9 of the spacer, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. The casing l2 may be fastened on the spacer arms I and 9 in any suitable way.

It will be understood that the shaving arch is formed of magnetic material such as steel, and in operation, before the stereotype plate has been fitted into the shaving head, the spacers are placed in contact with the inner surface of the shaving arch at the points that will be opposite the low areas or spaces in the plate when the latter is inserted into the shaving arch, with the faces of the magnets 8 contacting one end face of the shaving head A, whereupon the magnets will firmly hold the spacers in position. The plate is then clamped in the arch and said spacers will be located between the inner surface of the arch and the surfaces of said low areas 4 on the plate. It will be understood that the spacers may be formed of any desired width to fit spaces of different lengths, and one or more spacers may be used in each space depending upon the size of the space and the wishes of the operator.

Where it is desired to protect the spaces that extend across the stereotype plate at its ends, as indicated at 5, I propose to use magnetic spacers i3 one of which is illustrated in perspective in Figure 4. The desired number of these spacers may be interposed between the plate and the shaving arch and magnetically held on the shaving arch. The thickness of the spacer blocks IE will vary according to the dimensions of the spaces to be protected; for example, the block may be one inch long, three-eighths of an inch in width and about .050 inch in thickness. Of course, the blocks will be curved longitudinally to correspond with the curvature of the plate.

To facilitate locating the spacers 9, I may provide a gauge 14, as shown in Figure 5, which has an arcuate edge i5 corresponding to the curvature of the outer surface of the stereotype plate, and a face angularly disposed to said edge and having suitable graduations or marks [6 thereon. With this gauge applied to the stereotype plate to be mounted in a shaving arch, the graduations or marks I6 opposite the spaces in the plate may be marked or otherwise noted, and the operator may easily insert spacers in the arch as needed in accordance with marks or graduations Hid duplicating those of gauge [4 and inscribed on each end surface of the shaving arch in spaced relation along the corresponding end of said plate-engaging surface. The spacers may have indicator points I? to be set on the respective marks for locating the spacers.

Instead of making the spacers magnetic, the inner surface I of the shaving arch may be magnetized or be formed in part of magnetic material. As shown in Figures 6 and '7, the inner face of the arch comprises a cylindrical concavoconvex plate I8 of magnetized material so that the whole of said plate serves as a permanent magnet. The spacers l9 comprise L-shaped strips of magnetic material, for example steel, and are held in proper position in the shaving arch with relation to the low areas 4 of the stereotype plate 2, by magnetic attraction from the magnetized plate I8.

Another modification of the invention is shown in Figure 8 where instead of forming the inner surface of the shaving arch entirely of magnetized material, a plurality of magnets or magnetized blocks 26 may be inserted into the shaving arch in any suitable relation, for example staggered as illustrated, so that their surfaces are substantially flush with the cylindrical concave surface of the shaving arch. The spacers 19 formed of magnetic material when placed in contact with one or more of the magnetized blocks 20 will be held in proper position in the shaving arch by magnetic forces.

When I have shown and described several now preferred forms of my invention in conjunction with a particular type of stereotype plate and shaving arch, it should be understood that the details of construction of the spacers may be widely modified and changed and that the spacers may be used in connection with other machines without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, while I have shown the spacers used at only one end or face of the shaver head or arch, the spacers may also be inserted at the other end of the arch so that open spaces at both the first and last columns of the plate can be supported.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a spacer strip to be inserted in a space between the inner surface of a stereotype plate shaving arch formed of magnetic material and the outer surface of a stereotype plate, and a permanent magnet connected to said spacer strip for magnetic attachment to said shaving arch to hold said spacer strip in proper position on the shaving arch.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a spacer strip to be inserted in a space between the inner surface of a stereotype plate shaving arch formed of magnetic material and the outer surface of a stereotype plate and having an arm perpendicular to the strip, and a perma nent magnet fastened on said arm for magnetic attachment to said shaving arch to hold said spacer strip in proper position on the shavin arch.

3. In combination, a shaving arch for supporting stereotype plates to be shaved and having its plate-engaging surface magnetized, and spacers formed of magnetic material to be inserted in a space between said plate-engaging surface of the shaving arch and the outer surface of a stereo type plate in contact with said plate-engaging surface.

4. In combination, a shaving arch having an inner surface to be engaged by a stereotype plate during a shaving operation on the latter, a plurality of magnets in said arch with their faces substantially flush with the p1ate-engaging surface of the arch, and spacers formed of magnetic material to be inserted in a space between said plate-engaging surface of the arch and the outer surface of the stereotype plate whereby said spacers will be magnetically attached to said shaving arch upon contact of the spacers with one or more of said magnets.

5. For use with a shaving arch for supporting stereotype plates to be shaved, which arch has a concave semi-cylindrical plate-engaging surface and an end surface that is disposed angularly to one end of said plate-engaging surface and formed with graduations spaced along said end of said plate-engaging surface for positioning spacers in spaces between said plate-engaging surface and the outer surface of a stereotype plate, a gauge having a concave semi-circular edge to be placed in contact with the convex semi-cylindrical outer or printing surface of said stereotype plate and also formed with a surface which angularly disposed to said edge has graduations corresponding to said graduations on said shaving arch.

6. In combination, a shaving arch for supporting a stereotype plate to be shaved that has a convex semi-cylindrical printing surface and a depression below the plane of said printing surface. said shaving arch having a plate-engaging surface to abut said printing surface of a stereotype plate, and a spacer to be inserted in the space between and in contact with said plateengaging surface of the shaving arch and the, outer surface at the bottom of said depression of a stereotype plate secured within said arch, said shaving arch and said spacer having magnetically cooperative portions whereby said spacer will be magnetically held in contact with said shaving arch.

7. In combination, a shaving arch for sup porting a stereotype plate to be shaved that has a convex semi-cylindrical printing surface and a depression below the plane of said printing surface, said shaving arch having a plate-engaging surface to abut said printing surface of a stereotype plate, and a spacer to be inserted in the space between and in contact with said plateengaging surface of the shaving arch and the of outer surface at the bottom of said depression of a stereotype plate secured within said arch, said plate-engaging surface and said spacer having magnetically cooperative portions, whereby said spacer will be held in contact with said shaving arch.

8. In combination, a shaving arch for supporting a stereotype plate to be shaved that has a convex semi-cylindrical printing surface and a depression below the plane of said printing surface, said shaving arch having a plateengaging surface to abut said printing surface of a stereotype plate, and a spacer to be inserted in the space between and in contact with said plate-engaging surface of the shaving arch and the outer surface at the bottom of said depression of a stereotype plate secured within said arch, one of said shaving arch and said spacer including a portion formed of magnetic material and the other including a magnetized portion, whereby said spacer will be held magnetically in contact'with said shaving arch.

LARRY H. CONLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 926,247 Draper et a1 June 29, 1909 1,146,867 Griffith July 20, 1915 1,312,073 Bechman Aug. 5, 1919 1,515,726 Burklin Nov. 18, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date I 4,672 Great Britain Feb. 24, 1913 

